


Spontaneous Enlightenment

by joyouswolves



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Confessions, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lance Gets a Concussion, M/M, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 18:41:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7856761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joyouswolves/pseuds/joyouswolves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>He realizes it at the exact same moment something slams into him from the side, and he and Blue go spiraling.</em> In which Lance realizes something very important at exactly the wrong moment, and gets a concussion for his efforts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spontaneous Enlightenment

They’re fighting a Galra ship when it happens. They’re in their lions, not having needed to form Voltron yet. Lance does nothing but tell Keith to watch his back.

“I didn’t realize you cared so much,” Keith says. And that’s the catalyst.

“I...” Lance tries to tell him he doesn’t care, but he can’t. He freezes. Blue freezes. He’s just sitting there, because he doesn’t care. Nope. Doesn’t care about Keith and his stupid hair, and his stupid good looks, and his stupid attitude, and his stupid smile that lights Lance up inside…wait. Shit. _Oh_.

He realizes it at the exact same moment something slams into him from the side, and he and Blue go spiraling.

“Lance,” Keith’s yell is almost swallowed up by the sound of Blue hitting the face of whatever planet is below him. She tips over onto her side and Lance spills out of his seat and onto the floor. He has a brief moment to wonder why the hell the space lions don’t have seatbelts before his head smashes against something and thinking becomes hard.

He’s not sure how long he sits there, dazed and blinking. Blue is purring incessantly at him, trying to nudge him to get them back up and moving. And someone is yelling at him, but he can’t really hear it that well because his helmet flew well away from him when he fell. He thinks it’s Keith. Why does Keith always yell at him?

Finally, he gathers himself enough to get back in his seat and get Blue back in the air. They’re wobbly, and seeing straight is kind of hard, but at least he doesn’t see the Galra ship anywhere. And then Red is alongside them. Lance forgot to put his helmet back on, so he can’t hear what Keith is saying, but he follows Red back to the castle ship anyway, and she and Keith guide him and Blue in.

Lance just sits there, staring for a while. And Blue begins to purr again. She sounds worried. But Lance is spacing and he just absently pats at her dashboard to reassure her. He’s fine. He’ll move in a minute.

“Lance,” Keith says, and a hand lands on Lance’s shoulder.

“Huh,” Lance says. What he means is: When did Keith get here? How did Keith get here? How long has Lance been sitting here? But that’s not what comes out.

“Why are you just sitting here,” Keith asks.

“Hi, Keith,” Lance says. Then he gives a dopey smile and starts giggling.

Keith sighs and then a warm hand is cupping Lance’s face and tipping it up. Keith is closer now, inspecting Lance’s head very carefully. The hand tilts Lance’s face to and fro and Lance giggles again. It feels nice.

“You hit your head,” Keith says. Yeah, Lance remembers that. “You probably have a concussion.”

“Ok,” Lance says, attempting to nod seriously. Keith just rolls his eyes.

“Come on, idiot,” Keith says, hauling Lance up by an arm, “Let’s go to the infirmary.”

Lance stumbles to his feet, and lets Keith lead him towards the hatch. He’s a bit unsteady, and keeps finding himself walking into Keith’s side. Keith doesn’t complain, though, so the next time it happens he just kind of leans into Keith completely. Keith does grumble then, but he doesn’t push Lance off and Lance decides to stay. It’s warm here.

“Holy shit,” Lance says.

“What,” Keith asks.

“Your mullet is _so soft_ ,” Lance says, ruffling a hand through it. Keith squawks in protest.

“So soft,” Lance repeats, “ _Oh my God_.”

“Stop it,” Keith says, finally shoving Lance away. Lance would be disappointed, but the tips of Keith’s ears are bright red and it’s very distracting. And adorable.

“I’m glad you came to get me, Keith,” Lance says, with another dopey smile.

“You really did hit your head,” Keith says.

“No, no Keith, do you know what this is,” Lance asks.

“Stupid,” Keith says.

“No, it’s a _bonding moment_ ,” Lance says.

“Oh good, we’re here,” Keith says, shoving Lance into one of the pods.

“Hey, Keith,” Lance says. He’s more serious than before, so Keith’s hand pauses on the controls, and he turns his head towards Lance in acknowledgement, “I gotta tell’ya something, I realized something, and it was important, and I really hafta tell you.”

“What,” Keith prompts, when Lance doesn’t say anything for a moment, “Lance what do you need to tell me?”

“Y’know what,” Lance says, suddenly rethinking his decision to tell Keith what he’d realized, “Never mind. It’s stupid.”

“Lance,” Keith says, slowly, fingers still hesitating at the controls for the pod.

“No, it’s stupid,” Lance repeats.

Keith stares at him for a moment, as if he’s trying to read Lance’s secrets in his eyes. But Lance’s eyes apparently don’t give anything away, and the pod whooshes closed. The last thing Lance sees is Keith plopping himself down on the step in front of the pod, and then he eases into sleep.

 

“You just going to camp out here,” Shiro asks.Keith gives him a dirty look, but doesn’t move from where he’s sitting, directly outside of Lance’s pod.

“Yes,” Keith says, “He said he had something important to tell me, and then he wouldn’t tell me what it was. He’s going to tell me when he wakes up.”

“How long,” Shiro asks.

“A couple hours,” Keith says, “He only had a concussion and some bruising.”

“That’s long enough to at least change out of your armor,” Shiro says, “And maybe get something to eat. And still be back here in time to talk to him.”

“Fine,” Keith says. It’s not exactly comfortable sitting down there in his paladin armor anyway.

“And Keith,” Shiro adds, just as Keith is walking away, “Why don’t you just try asking him nicely.”

“Yeah, ‘cause that’ll work with Lance,” Keith says.

“Keith,” Shiro says, a hint of warning in his voice, “At least try.”

“Fine,” Keith says. He’ll try it Shiro’s way, but he doesn’t expect results.

 

The first thing Lance sees is the line of Keith’s back. He’s still sitting on the step, but at least he’s changed his clothes. Lance’s mind feels kind of foggy, he knows he and Blue crashed and that’s why he’s in here. But he can’t quite remember why they crashed. But he does remember the sight of Keith settling in where he is now, just as Lance was falling asleep. Why was Keith waiting for him though?

“Hey,” Lance says, stumbling slightly on his way over to Keith, “How long?”

“Only a couple hours,” Keith tells him.

“What…happened,” Lance asks. He wobbles his way down to sit next to Keith.

“You froze you loser,” Keith says, “You just froze and then one of them hit you and you crashed. And you hit your head.”

Oh, yeah, Lance kind of remembers that. And by the way…

“Why don’t the lions have seatbelts,” Lance asks. Keith rolls his eyes.

“Because they don’t,” Keith says, “Now, you said…”

“But with all the crashing we do, they should have seatbelts,” Lance says.

“Maybe,” Keith agrees, “But…”

“We should get Coran to install seatbelts,” Lance says.

“Lance,” Keith yells, and there goes asking nicely, “Enough about the seatbelts!”

Lance kind of grumbles and deflates where he’s sitting next to Keith. He shoots Keith a dirty look, but he’s clearly too tired to get into a fight. Which makes Keith both eternally grateful, and also guilty. He shouldn’t be yelling right now.

“Look, you said,” Keith says, not quite sure how to phrase this, “When I was getting you into the pod, you told me that you had something important you had to tell me. What was it?”

“I don’t,” Lance says, “I don’t remember.”

“Lance,” Keith growls, and Lance throws his hands in the air.

“No, really,” Lance says, “My head’s all fuzzy, I can’t remember.”

“You said you realized something, and it was important, and you had to tell me,” Keith prompts, “But then you decided it was stupid and wouldn’t tell me.”

“Um,” Lance says, rubbing the side of his head as he tries to remember. “I don’t…”

Oh yeah. Keith. And not caring. And caring. And crashing. _Oh_.

A look of enlightenment must show on his face, because Keith is looking even more impatient and expectant now. Lance turns red. He’s cornered, still woozy from the cryo-pod and unlikely to be able to get away from Keith and avoid answering. But he doesn’t want to tell him.

“Lance,” Keith presses. Lance shakes his head.

“Lance, just tell me,” Keith says, exasperated, “I won’t laugh or anything.”

“I don’t want to,” Lance says.

“Why not,” Keith asks, “You’ll say just about anything. To anyone!”

“Yeah, but,” Lance begins.

“Do not,” Keith says, “Tell me it’s stupid. Just tell me Lance! Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

Lance hesitates for a while, still wondering if he can get himself out of this.But Keith is right there, staring at him, and waiting for an answer. This isn’t going to go well, but there’s no other way.

“I didn’t realize I cared so much either,” Lance says softly. It’s quiet, but he can tell Keith could hear him by the way his face scrunches up in confusion.

“What,” Keith asks. His voice is quiet now too, and something about that makes it easier for Lance to talk.

“When I told you to watch your back,” Lance says, “You said you didn’t know I cared so much. Neither did I. I don’t know why it hit me then, but I do. I care a lot, about the whole team, but you especially.”

“Oh,” Keith says. Lance can’t read his expression.

“I froze because I realized how much I actually care about you, and it scared me. _Scares_ me,” Lance says.

“Never thought I’d see you so serious about something like this,” Keith says. Lance would be offended, but the soft smile on his face gives Lance pause.

“I care too, you know,” Keith says, dropping his head onto Lance’s shoulder, “Or, I guess you don’t.”

“What,” Lance asks, failing for a minute before figuring out how to wrap an arm around Keith shoulders. He turns his head slightly and gets a face full of mullet. And _holy shit_ , Keith’s hair is _so soft_. Not that he’d ever tell Keith that.

“I’ve tried to get you to notice,” Keith says, curling even further against Lance’s side, “But you were too caught up in your made-up rivalry.”

“Oh,” Lance says, and that kinda makes sense if he thinks about it, “Sorry.”

“That’s fine,” Keith says, “As long as you get it now.”

Keith presses a soft kiss to the side of Lance’s throat, and Lance gets it. Oh, he gets it. There’s no doubt. He can’t believe he missed this. He tightens his grip on Keith and practically hums in contentment when Keith doesn’t protest.

“Where do we go from here,” Lance asks.

“How about to bed,” Keith says, “I’m tired, you have to be tired. We can talk this out more in the morning.”

“Ok,” Lance agrees.


End file.
